This article says that Vladivostok opened up to foreign visitors in 1992 – I didn’t know when it was. When I was there I was told that all other Russians from the west had to have a passport and a visa to come into Vladivostok. I assumed that that was for non military only.

Two Marines in my platoon were part of a dog and pony show sent to Vladivostok from Okinawa during our deployment in 1994. We were serving in Weapons Company 1/7. I was slated to go as well but got cut from the roster two days before departure. They sailed aboard the USS Dubuque. The biggest part of their duty was to set up a static display of our weapon system, the M-47 Dragon anti tank missile. They were not allowed to display the night tracker as the Russians still did not have anything comparable. My friends said that the women were very friendly, the vodka never ran out and that the Russian fleet was a rust bucket. That was one of a few trips I missed out on that I really regret.